Figure 1: The chemical structure of emetine. Emetine is a complex polycyclic molecule and could be obtained by methylation of cephaelin. The radical CH3 as circled, is absence in cephaelin (Lee, 2008). The (R)’ configuration at C-1’ and secondary nitrogen atom at the 2’ position are necessary for emetine’s activity (Grollman, 1966).